The Awaited
by Yemi Hikari
Summary: When the paladin's are thrown out of the destabilized wormhole, they find themselves on an a planet populated by one of the experiments put together by an alien race called the Otsutsuki, where they transplanted humans from Earth, developing the tailed beasts as a measure against the Galra due to the disappearance of Voltron. Each paladin finds themselves with a different shinobi.
1. Poisoned Blade

_Disclaimer – I don't own Voltron: Legendary Defender._

 _Note – This AU takes some inspiration from Stargate. This is also written for the October 2016 Just-Write-It where the theme is Thriller, and I'm aiming towards psychological thriller delving into some of the psychological issues Sasuke has regarding the death of his family, which in turn he uses against Keith. There is also possibly a short lived one-sided slash pairing in this story, and I'm also using the theory that Keith and Shiro are brothers. Shiro's a teen in this as he's a teen in canon - see the comics for the reference. Also, the Japanese ends up translated because that was one of the languages the castle picked up when it scanned the paladins._

 **The Awaited  
** _ **Poisoned Blade**_

Fear riveted through every bone in his body, having replaced the anger coursing through his blood minutes before. A familiar voice called out to Keith, attempting to call the red paladin out of the deep, emotional pit of darkness he found himself sinking into. The sixteen-year-old felt his chest tighten, struggling to breathe as a form of panic attack attempted to set in.

The Galra were to blame for everything.

They prevented Shiro from returning from the Kerberos mission a year ago. They took the black paladin's arm and scarred his face, leaving physical memories of the young man's time as a paladin. This time in captivity resulted in the ruin of the stellar piloting record of the then eighteen-year-old pilot. They also left the young man mentally scarred, evidenced by the lock of white hair turned prematurely white.

Now, the Galra pushed at the young leader's mental state again. They sought to take away the black lion just like they took away Shiro's stellar record back on Earth. The black paladin nearly smashed against the surface of the space structure, his jetpack that barely reacted in time instead of ending up broken and malfunctioning. The Galra were attempting to take Shiro away all over again.

The anger which flooded Keith's senses made him see red. Attacking Zarkon at the time seemed like an instantaneous fix for everything that happened, including the accumulated feelings of hurt gathered in the red paladin's own psyche. Then, the red came in form of the cockpit warning lights going off, and Keith's sweaty hands clutching the controls, thrusting them forward, only to find himself unable to move.

Shiro managed a rescue in time, something which always fell on the black paladin's shoulders. The fear refused to go away even when the two lions landed safely in the docking bay, and only escalated with the destabilizing wormhole threw the two out into space, the entire ship spinning out of control, increasing the level of fear and panic, but also the feeling of guilt for doing something wrong.

" _Keith…_ "

The red paladin's eyes snapped open, realizing suddenly the voice he heard belonged to Shiro. The sixteen-year-old took a deep breath, knowing full well the nineteen-year-old leader expected a response. His mouth opened, dry. "Shiro…" The younger teen looked around, his lips pushed together taking in the flashing lights in red's cockpit, but also the stiffness of his body. "Oh, god…"

" _Keith…_ "

"I trashed Red." A shiver ran down the red paladin's spine, as a hand went to his sore side realizing he'd ended up jarred from his seat upon landing, realizing then that he needed to lift himself up from the ground. "I'm so sorry."

" _You don't have to apologize to me, Keith._ "

"No. Not you. Red." Keith let his hand glide over the control panel, before looking up at the viewing screen to see nothing. The sixteen-year-old swallowed, before heading out the back, hoping Red would open up despite whatever damage she received. Shiro remained silent on the other side of the comms, and he found himself exiting out of the cockpit to find the red lion crashed into a bunch of trees, creating a rather large crater. A hand glided over one leg. "I am so sorry Red."

" _Keith, everything is going to be okay._ "

"No, it's not. Red's likely seriously pissed off at me right now." The red paladin swallowed back the bile welling in his throat, the thought of disappointing anyone he cared about hitting hard. "You're also not okay Shiro. I can tell."

" _I'm fine. Take a deep breath._ "

"I don't need to! And you're not fine." Keith felt his psyche calming despite the worry pounding at the back of his head regarding how the black paladin was coming. "I'm coming for you. I can find you."

" _No…_ "

"I am. I can find you. I know what direction you're in, kind of like how I knew that you would show back up. I can do this."

" _Keith…_ "

The red paladin swallowed, the thought he might lose Shiro again, particularly without saying something important. The sixteen-year-old took a deep breath, knowing how awkward what he said would sound. "Shiro, I love you." The words were met with silence, making Keith close his eyes as he walked down the mountain. "Shiro?"

" _Doesn't that go without saying, though?_ " Shiro's voice sounded weaker.

"What…"

" _You know. You're my kid brother, so it goes without saying that we love each other. We're family._ "

Keith swallowed. "It does matter."

" _Huh…_ "

Shiro sounded weaker, and the red paladin's throat tightened up. "It does too! I never, ever said it enough. Then you…"

" _Got it. It's okay, 'cause I already knew._ "

"Shiro." Keith bit down on his lip, frustrated that his older brother struggled to read him. He needed the memory of saying those words at least once. "Don't you _dare_ die on me!"

The red paladin continued, feeling as if the mental connection with the red lion broke. He heard a bit of rough breathing on the other end and continued on his way, stopping when he saw a flash in the sky, and a shooting start lighting up the noontime sky. Keith's hands twisted together, knowing his priority would be on Shiro. He continued along, the distance seeming to not grow any smaller.

" _Hello._ " Another voice came over the intercom. The red-paladin bit back his disgust, not wanting to speak to the blue paladin. Lance, however, spoke for him. " _Come on! Is anybody there!_ "

"I'm here. Shiro is as well, but…"

Lance's sudden yelling made Keith want to yank his helmet off his head, his mouth pressing into the frown. " _What the hell! If he's here, he would talk!_ "

"He's hurt."

" _Well, that's all your fault._ "

"What do you mean it's all my fault!"

" _You're the one who didn't want to follow Shiro's orders you moron!_ " Lance's comment made the red paladin's head real, the guilt he felt earlier rising back to the surface.

"Shut up." Keith would punch Lance if he were there right now, with how insensitive the other could be. "You didn't hear Shiro and my conversation?" That to was something he didn't need the blue paladin treating in an insensitive manner.

" _I only have your word on that! And don't tell me to shut up! Not only did you disobey orders, you didn't want to go about rescuing Allura! You don't give a crap about her, you jerk!_ "

"Quiznack! I can't let my personal feelings for her get in the way of doing my job as a paladin. That…" Keith felt a hot heat spread across his cheeks, realizing what he said.

" _Ehh…_ "

"Forget I said…" The red paladin stopped short, feeling something pierce through his back on the right side, sliding through to the front. Looking down, Keith could see the place of what looked like a katana piercing his gut, blood covering the beautifully crafted blade. The red paladin swallowed.

" _Did you just admit that you have a crush on Allura? Wait until I tell her that you're trying to get a jump on our relationship. Seriously. I saw her first Keith._ "

The red paladin's eyes closed, swallowing due to not knowing what his next move should be. His hands trembled as someone stepped up behind him, wrapping their arm around his neck, their hot breath tickling the skin on his skin, the one place skin was exposed. Keith felt his eyes dilated, not liking the situation. Normally the sixteen-year-old felt he could take on someone who attempted to mug him, but the red paladin felt the killing aura imitating from the person, something he should have sensed, had he not let himself become distracted by Lance, but also his injuries from the crash.

"What is your name?"

"Keith…"

" _Keith?_ "

"Keith, that's a very odd name, isn't it?" The voice was male, and the red paladin guessed they were the same height as him. He also felt the blade pull out of his gut, and a moan of pain escaped Keith's lips as his eyes closed. The teen felt the blood begin to pour out of the small injury, pouring over his suit as the blade came to his throat with swiftness only someone who was a trained swordsman could. Keith knew even if he could grab his banyard, it would do no good.

" _Keith. Who is that? What is going on?_ "

The red paladin felt like wetting himself, not sure how to respond. The breath continues to flicker across his skin, what little was exposed. "What's your full name?"

"My name is Keith Kogane. Since I told you mine, care to tell me yours." Keith let out a deep breath as the blade bit slightly into his neck.

"You do realize I'm the one who stabbed you in the gut with a sword that I'm now holding to your throat. Are you really wanting to test me?"

" _Keith…_ "

"Isn't it common courtesy for someone to give their name to someone they are going to kill?" The blood continued to escape from his body, pouring to the floor.

"Who says I'm going to kill you?" The breath remained too close for comfort, and something about this person made Keith ill at ease. "My name is Uchiha Sasuke, and I think I'll keep you as a pet. What do you think about that?"

"I…" Keith felt the person's arms move so that his hand pressed against a certain point.

" _Keith. I'm coming for you, alright._ "

"Don't you dare Lance! He's too much…"

"You've some kind of communication device?" Sasuke pressed his hand. "How about you tell your friend what will happen if I put pressure on this spot on your neck?

"I'll go unconscious." Keith felt as if he would go unconscious with the amount of blood he lost.

" _Keith…_ " The confidence normally in Keith's voice quickly went away, and the red paladin imagined the color draining from Lance's face in the same way it was his, but for a different reason. A smirk spread across his face, only for the small hint of glee to flee away.

"So they can hear me as well, which means they know my name."

"Yeah, but Lance is far away from here, so you won't find him, or any of my friends for that matter. They're spread across the entire planet." Keith felt a blade slip out of the kimono-like sleeve, touching his neck gently at first. His breath drew tightly.

"So, you know what this knife is for?"

"Either it's some kind of poison to kill me, or a poison to paralyze me, so in a few minutes I'm either going to be dead, or you're going to torture me, hoping I'll give you some kind of information. For your sake, I hope it's a poison to kill me because I'm not going to give you any kind of information."

"Who says I want to torture you for information?"

Keith swallowed, feeling the blade prick his neck. He felt his body go slack, falling to the ground as the young man let go of him. He hit the ground hard, jarring his already sore sides. His dark blue eyes narrowed, noticing the traditional dress of Japan, the sandals, and kimono, but also the strange purple rope sash which defied the natural laws for materials found on Earth.

However, something else sent a shudder down his spine. He caught a glimpse of the young man's eyes, which were dark like his, and the dark hair. The young man was of Japanese descent, and yet this young man looked like a dark, evil version of himself, making Keith wonder where on Earth they were, for where else would find humans.

The young man moved quickly, removing the helmet and throwing it to the side as one of Keith's fingers twitched, not a word escaping his lips. The young man proceeded to pull off the armor, tossing this aside as well, obviously making sure no communication device existed upon Keith's body. The sixteen-year-old felt his eyes narrow, wondering why the young man didn't immediately suspect the helmet.

A chill spread through his body, the blood continuing to leave his body through the small wound. The young man stripped Keith to the skin-tight undersuit. When Sasuke finished, he lifted the red paladin over his shoulder, carrying him away to who knew where.


	2. Crashing World

**The Awaited  
** _ **Crashing World**_

The manner in which the blue lion spun out of control left a curdling feeling in his stomach, and a cold sweat running down his spine. Lance remembered the surface rushing up to meet him, his lips pushing together as he braced for impact. The controls worked for him, but he found himself unable to control the blue lion in the manner to the blue paladin's liking. The sound of trees crunching under the weight of Blue sent a groan escaping from Lance's lips.

A breath escaped, wondering what happened to the others. Rather meekly, he spoke up. "Hello." When nobody answered, his voice strained even more. "Come one! IS anybody there!"

" _I'm here. Shiro is as well, but…_ "

Keith's voice irritated Lance, making the blue paladin grind his teeth together, but also forget the worry coursing through his body. The blue paladin found himself unable to understand why the obnoxious red paladin felt the need to speak up for Shiro when their glorious leader could very well do this himself. Memories of how annoying Lance found Keith to be at the Garrison rushed through the young paladin's mind, aggravating his mood. "What the hell! If he's here, he would talk!"

The fact he accused Keith of lying went over Lance's head, as the sixteen-year-old busied himself with preparing to leave Blue, hoping to get an idea of his surroundings. The red paladin said the last thing the blue paladin ever wanted to hear. " _He's hurt._ "

The fact Keith's tone of voice twisted with worry also flew over Lance's head. The blue paladin's blue eyes narrowed, remembering how the red paladin took off, disobeying a direct order from Shiro, something a good soldier should never do. Of course, Keith never was a good soldier, something indicated quite clearly from his being kicked from the Garrison program. In Lance's, had Keith not taken off like he had, things would have turned out much differently. "Well, that's your fault!"

Pain filled Keith's voice. " _What do you mean it's all my fault!_ "

The fact the red paladin's voice filled with pain went right over Lance's head, resulting in a complete misread. " _As if I care that he feels guilty._ _Not that he does feel that way. He's just mad I pointed out the truth and doesn't want to admit it is his fault like always. He's going to blame me like he always does. Drop out._ " Lance took a deep breath. "You're the one who didn't want to follow Shiro's orders you moron!"

The blue paladin heard the heavy, panicked breathing from Keith's side, letting him know he'd hit a sore spot. Keith's response felt good, as it meant the red paladin practically admitted he'd been wrong. " _Shut up._ " Strangely, though, the other paladin attempted to change the subject. " _You didn't hear Shiro and my conversation?_ "

Lance's mouth twisted up, wondering what about said conversation Keith didn't want him to hear, or that maybe the red paladin lied to him. "I only have your word on that! And don't tell me to shut up! Not only did you disobey orders, you didn't want to go about rescuing Allura! _"_

" _Quiznack!_ " The blue paladin caught onto the embarrassed strain in Keith's voice and knew he'd hit another sore spot. Lance opened his mouth to gloat, only to hear the red paladin's next words. " _I can't let my personal feelings for her get in the way of doing my job as a paladin. That…_ "

Lance felt his eyes blink a couple of times, the words "personal feelings for her" playing over and over in his head, but also the fact Keith claimed he wouldn't let said feelings get in the way of doing what he needed to do. "Ehh…"

"Forget I said…"

The blue paladin didn't notice Keith go silent on the other end, or pay attention to the sudden sound of escaping air, as if something unexpected, and possibly painful occurred. Instead, his mind focused on the fact his rival now competed with him for yet another thing – the affection of the princess. Irritation became to boil over. "Did you just admit that you have a crush on Allura? Wait until I tell her that you're trying to get a jump on our relationship. Seriously. I saw her first Keith."

Lance heard Keith swallow, not realizing the particular sound indicated something was wrong. The blue paladin, however, noticed the sudden silence and then heard the voice and breath ever so close to Keith's own. " _What is your name._ "

" _Keith._ "

Two blue eyes blinked, the realization that someone got the drop on Keith. A sinking feeling hit Lance in the gut then, as he found himself arriving outside in a forest area. There was no telling how far his location was from the red paladin either. A rather strange sound made the blue paladin close his eyes, trying to place the sound as he heard a moan of pain from Keith, yet Lance couldn't place the sound. "Keith. Who is that? What is going on?"

" _What's your full name?_ "

" _My name is Keith Kogane._ " The tone of voice Lance heard Keith use then puzzled him, but the red paladin continued to speak. " _Since I told you mine, care to tell me yours._ "

" _You do realize I'm the one who stabbed you in the gut with a sword that I'm now holding to your throat. Are you really wanting to test me._ "

The blue paladin felt his throat tightening. " _Keith! Why are you trying to goad this guy on?_ " The troubling situation for the red paladin quickly sank into Lance's mind, and he now found himself able to place the sound. His own voice strangled, tears threatening to escape his eyes, suddenly wishing he'd not come down on his rival a few moments ago. He had to stop Keith from doing something stupid, which would get him hurt more. "Keith…"

" _Isn't it common courtesy for someone to give their name to someone they are going to kill?_ "

Lance felt his blood turn cold, his eyes closing shut, wondering what he should do, yet knowing he could do nothing. Why Keith needed to goad the guy on was beyond him, until he heard the person speak again. " _Who says I'm going to kill you? My name is Uchiha Sasuke, and I think I'll keep you as a pet. What do you think about that?_ "

"I…"

The blue paladin heard the confusion in Keith's voice, and Lance started forward knowing full well he needed to do something. The person with the red paladin sounded like some kind of sick freak. "Keith. I'm coming for you, alright." A single tear fell down, and Lance wiped the drop away. " _Seriously. This can't be happening. Don't you dare die on me, buddy._ " Referring to Keith as something other than rival felt so foreign, and yet Lance's imagination started getting the better of him, the words "keep you as a pet" ringing in his head. " _Quiznack. Who'd have thought Keith would end up being some kind of damsel in distress. I hate this kind of damsel in distress. Give me a princess any day of the week._ "

" _Don't you dare Lance! He's too much…_ "

" _You've some kind of communication device?_ " Lance felt his heart sink, knowing full well Keith just gave away the fact there were others who could help him out. It sunk even more as this Uchiha person – who named their kid something uncool like Uchiha – heard the next part. " _How about you tell your friend what will happen if I put pressure on this spot on your neck?_ "

Lance swallowed, knowing full well the person didn't mean anything good, and soon this was confirmed by Keith. " _I'll go unconscious._ "

"Keith…" The blue paladin's eyes closed, his mind swimming as he took in the idea that Keith of all people could end up in such a situation. He heard a sound that didn't seem to come from the red paladin's end. If Keith heard as well, Lance did not know.

" _So they can hear me as well, which means they know my name._ "

" _What the quiznack!"_ Lance felt his anger boil over, wishing somehow he could run screaming at the guy, but also shooting off his baynard. For some reason, the thought of being a hero fell short of the feeling of anger welling in his chest at the ill treatment of one of his friends. In fact, the fact he thought of Keith as a friend went right over his head.

" _Yeah, but Lance is far away from here, so you won't find him, or any of my friends for that matter. They're spread across the entire planet._ "

" _What are quiznack are you trying to do Keith!" The blue paladin felt the color drain even more from his face, a hand suddenly clasping over his mouth, his body frozen as the realization that he could do nothing sunk in._ "

" _Either it's some kind of poison to kill me, or a poison to paralyze me, so in a few minutes I'm either going to be dead, or you're going to torture me, hoping I'll give you some kind of information. For your sake, I hope it's a poison to kill me because I'm not going to give you any kind of information."_

" _Who says I want to torture you for information?_ "

Lance heard a gurgling sound, before hearing a crashing sound indicating the person dropped Keith. He still heard Keith breathing, meaning his fellow paladin was alive, but he didn't know for how long. Another thud and he knew the person decided to throw the helmet away. Suddenly, Lance took off running, attempting to stay off the painful feeling welling in his chest. When he finally lost breath, the young paladin sunk to his knees, removing his helmet as he did so in time to see two shooting stars in the sky. He lifted up the helmet. "Pidge! Hunk! Do you guys hear me?"

Nothing.

Then came the sound of vomiting, but also the sound of someone else being tossed around in their compartment, and the shooting out of someone's comms system.

Lance leaned back, yelling at the top of his head. "Keith! You idiot! When I get my hands on you, I am going to seriously kill you!"

A bunch of birds flew out of the bushes at this sound, and the blue paladin leaned over, sobbing uncontrollably as his helmet lay near him, the hot tears hitting the ground below him, his stomach aching due to the stress and worry running through his mind. Lance's hand's twisted up, grabbing the ground with them, his fingers scraping against the rough ground. His eyes clamped shut.

" _He doesn't know. That idiot honestly doesn't know what's in store for him. He doesn't understand what it means to be someone's pet._ " A shudder ran through Lance's body, and he wrapped his thin arms around his thin frame, leaning over to vomit, relieving the contents of his stomach.

"Hey."

The voice startled Lance, making his hand reach for his banyard, letting the gun release out to point at a young man with strange markings on his face. The blue paladin's lip trembled, a few hot tears still in the corner of his eyes, taking in the fact the young man's blue eyes an even more vibrant blue that his own, the blond locks of hair hanging down in front of his eyes, a wide smile on his face. Lance's entire body shook.

One of the youth's hands reached up to rub the back of his head. "You're so uncool, crying like that. Real men don't…"

The next thing Lance knew his banyard in its banyard form instead of gun form hurtled through the air, hitting the youth square in the forehead, knocking him back into the ground, whoever he was.


	3. Yellow Insanity

**The Awaited  
** _ **Yellow Insanity**_

Hunk felt ill.

Hunk always felt ill, though, getting carsick at some of the worst times possible. The yellow paladin, however, didn't feel ill because of the ride, although that might have played a part. Instead, he found himself feeling ill due to the fact worry plagued his mind, and he wondered how the others were doing. Somehow he managed to stagger out of the yellow lion, his nerves completely on edge expecting a Galra soldier to jump out at any minute.

Instinctively, he took off the helmet to his uniform, letting himself get fresh air. Instinctively as well, the yellow paladin vomited into said helmet, his big eyes blinking upon realizing what he'd just done. "Oh, quiznack. That can't be good."

Hunk thought he heard a noise through all of the mess in his helmet, and leaned his head in so as to hear something which sounded like Lance yelling at Keith, meaning those two thankfully managed to find each other, or so he hoped. Hearing what really occurred though didn't sit well, as a simple stirring of his helmet slushed the contents around, making the color drain revealing a rather nasty green color.

The yellow paladin sighed, taking a deep breath. Closing his eyes, Hunk sniffed the air, looking specifically for some kind of smell which would tell him about his surroundings. The smell of fresh air filled his nostrils, making Hunk's big muscles relax. Taking a deep breath, he stepped forward, a big goofy grin on his face, not realizing something wrong occurred elsewhere to his friends. Instead, the yellow paladin thought about getting back together with his friends, and the extension of his family.

Kneeling down, he rinsed the helmet with water, smiling as he did so, before reaching a hand down to scoop a handful of fresh water to his mouth. The hand, however, stopped short, unable to move as if someone or something paralyzed him to the spot. "Who are you? What is that thing back there?"

Hunk's helmet dropped from his hand and began to drift downstream. "Excuse me, but I _really_ need that thing. If I lose it, I am doomed. Doomed I tell you!"

The yellow paladin heard the sound of leaves crunching, but he found himself unable to turn his head. Whoever stood behind him, however, decided to act upon his words. "Choji."

"Sure thing Shikamaru." Whoever this Choji was, his arms shot out into the river, grabbing the helmet.

"Wow! That is like, so cool man. Are you guys, like Japanese? 'cause your names sound Japanese. My name is Hunk by the way."

"Good grief. You two managed to find a moron." A female voice let out a sigh behind him, and Hunk's lip puckered up in frustration.

"Yeah, well, how he managed to get this close to the Hidden Leaf, I do not know. If he's a moron, then how did he end up getting so close Ino?"

"How should I know?" This Ino person sounded condescending in nature. "You guys found him, and you're supposed to be some kind of genius Shikamaru. You figure it out."

"I am…" The first person lets out a sigh. "How did you get here?"

"Um, I crash landed on this planet." Hunk instinctively felt these three were trustworthy, but wished he could see their faces.

"Say, what?" Shikamaru's voice strained, and the yellow paladin found himself suddenly standing up, one hip on his hand, while the other scratched his head.

"Hey, why am I doing that? Is that kind of like that thing the other guy did, but different? Is it kind of like how Keith's lion can do this weird fire thing, and Lance's can do this weird blue ice thing. I've not found mine yet, though. That's like, majorly a pain."

"Could you please just stop talking already?" Ino sounded like those girls who always made fun of Hunk for his weight.

"You're mean." Tears began to pour down his face, and the second guy spoke up.

"Shikamaru, I don't think this guy's a bad guy. I mean, I don't know how I know, but he's just not the type."

Whatever held him in that position let go, and he fell flat on his face. More tears spilled from his face. "I want to go home."

"Hey…" The girl's voice came from nearby, and Hunk blinked a couple of times, before looking up at the pretty blond who now leaned over her. "No hard feelings big guy? If Shikamaru and Choji say you're okay, then I guess you are."

"You were mean." Hunk sat up, the tears continuing to roll down his face. He turned, taking in what he saw.

The girl had, as he already noted, beautiful blond hair. It reminded him of Lance's younger sister's hair, who always begged both of the older guys to do things for her. The softness always made Hunk feel better, but touching this girl's hair was a major don't, which left his lip in a pout. The girl wore purple clothing consisting of a skirt, and a skimpy top, something Lance would go gaga over. However, like Allura, this girl would likely find the blue paladin off-putting. She wore a cute red hair clip and silver studs in her ears.

Her two male companions were different.

One was a big guy like himself, dressed in a red coat covered by some kind of armor. His cheeks were marked by swirls, almost as if they were tattooed onto his face as some kind of identification mark, and his hair was a fluffy main, reminding him of his lion, making him wish he could get back to his companion. "Sorry Yellow."

"Huh?" Choji tilted his head in confusion. He too had silver studs in his ear.

Shikamaru, however, that guy was super cool. The guy reminded Hunk somehow of Shiro, and Keith at the same time, but then he was the one who looked the most Japanese out of all of them. Silver studs also pierced this guy's ears. Hunk blinked a couple of times, twiddling his fingers together.

"Well, um… Yellow is the lion. She's that thing, my ship I came in."

"Dude. No way something like that can move." Choji folded his arms across his chest.

"Oh, I know, but she can. We're a part of this thing called Voltron, and we're supposed to be protecting the galaxy from this alien race called Galra. I'm surprised I ended up back on Earth, and Japan of all places. I always wanted to visit Japan."

Ino let out a sigh. "Look, this place, it's not this Earth or Japan, whatever those must be."

"That must be some kind of mistake." Hunk's eyes began to tear up. "I'm quite sure your guy's names are Japanese! I'm quite sure..." Panic began to set in. "How the hell can I speak Japanese! I speak Hawaiian, and English, and apparently now Altean. Maybe the castle did this weird brain thing when it scanned us, and learned Japanese from Shiro and Keith, which would explain why I now know Japanese. Wow! I should have expected something like that from a castle that's also a ship, and a ship that's also a castle."

The yellow paladin stopped short, noticing how the others stared at him as if he'd gone nuts. Ino folded her arms. "So… what are we supposed to, now, do with this guy?"

"Don't eat me." The words came out of Hunk's mouth. "I kind of, got this fear of that, along with being attacked by alien food goo again."

Again, the three stared. A voice came out of the helmet that Hunk didn't, but the other three obviously did. "Sexy Harem Jutsu?"

Ino's eye twitched. "What the hell? Naruto's back. That pervert."

Choji's eyes widened. "Who's he using that stupid move on?"

"What stupid move?" Hunk swallowed, worried about the three's reactions, and what might be happening to any of his friends.

"Um…" The blond haired chick looked up at him, her blue eyes staring right into his, almost as if she didn't want to say.

"Seriously, if one of this guy's friends is close, shouldn't we…"

"I don't know." The third teen narrowed his eyes. "I don't think Naruto's actually nearby."

"What do you mean? Nobodies ninja tech communicates that far away."

"So, this really isn't Earth? Cause we've got tech there that communicate half way around the planet. Altean tech, though, it can communicate long distances across the galaxy. I…" Hunk blinked a couple of times. "I'm guessing you don't have anything like airplanes, or tech that can fly?"

"Um, no."

"No mechanical vehicles?"

"Um, no." Shikamaru folded his arms, looking at Hunk with a rather amused look on his face.

"So…" The cogs in Hunk's mind began to form ideas, and finally. "Oh quiznack. This is Stargate! This is so freaking creepy! I don't want anybody putting a creepy snake into my stomach. I want to use that for eating things!"

The yellow paladin curled up into a ball while Ino took the helmet from her companion. "Look, Shikamaru, if you can't make up your mind, I'll send a message to request someone look nearby for Naruto and this person's other friend, and to get this person admitted to the mental ward back at the Leaf Village."

"I am not insane!" Hunk stood up, pointing a finger at Ino. "I may vomit when I'm flying on a ship I'm not piloting, but I most certainly know that my story about the lions, and Voltron, and the Galra, it's all true! And it's not out of the question, the idea that some alien race years ago came to Earth, transported some of its people to a far off planet for some kind of experiment to see how evolution would differ. The snake thing, maybe that was an over exaggeration on my part. I mean, that came from some made up story, but…"

The yellow paladin started to cry again. "They're creepier than the Galra."

"He's got to be insane. I don't understand a word he's saying. It's all…" The girl pushed her lips together, making the motion for crazy before twirling a strand of her blonde hair.

"Except I do understand what he's saying Ino, nor do I like what he's saying." The dark haired teen rubbed the back of his head, letting out a sigh. "What a drag. Here I was thinking we'd have a simple patrol mission to see what crashed near the village. There were four other shooting stars as well, making things an even bigger pain."

Hunk stood up, scooping Shikamaru into the air, his excitement overflowing. "Where! Those are my friends! Pidge, Keith, Lance, and our leader Shiro."

"Put me down!"

"Ah…" The yellow paladin dropped the teen to the ground. "Oh, I believe I didn't introduce myself. I'm Tsuyoshi Garrett, but everybody just calls me Hunk."

"So, your family name is Tsuyoshi?" Choji reached out his hand. "I'm Akimichi Choji, and this is Nara Shikamaru, and Yamanaka Ino."

"Wait! No! Garret is my family name!" Hunk's hand's shot up. "My name Tsuyoshi, that's because my grandmother is Japanese, but the rest of my family os of Polynesian decent." The young man's mouth twisted up into a frown. "Man, this is confusing. I wonder how Lance and the others are doing. I bet Lance, he's going to do something stupid. He's kind of that way, kind of walking right into things. Shiro and Keith, they can take care of themselves, I think. But Pidge…" Hunk's eyes grew wide. "What if they're all dead! Oh my gosh! And what about the princess!"

Ino pinched the bridge of her nose. "Okay. Now I'm really sure that he's insane. I'm going to send a message for someone to look for his friend and Naruto. The Hokage will want to know that Naruto is back."

Shikamaru shook his head, before folding his arms across his head. "Sorry, but looks like I'm the only one who believes you."

"What about me?" Choji frowned.

"You believe me?" Hunk's facial features became hopeful.

"No."

The yellow paladin felt his face fall.


	4. Green Eyes

**The Awaited  
** _ **Green Eyes**_

Pidge felt like Hunk.

In all reality, the phrase Lance came up with added a bit of humor to the situation, one she suspected Keith wouldn't appreciate. It wasn't that Keith didn't have a sense of humor, but that certain things went over the other teen's head. Pidge also always thought she and her brother were socially awkward, which rather took the cake. Her eyes closed, remembering her brother, nausea getting worse

The reason Pidge felt nauseated was because of how her lion spun out of control, spinning as it headed to the ground. She landed with a jarring thump, and though she heard the sand moving outside. Her eyes closed shut, remembering a conversation she had with her brother.

" _You know, I never thought I'd see you infatuated with a jock. You wouldn't be in love with him, would you?_ " Pidge remembered the sing-song tone she used, but also the way Matt narrowed his eyes.

" _Really? Yeah, I admire Shiro a lot, but I'm not in love with him. There's more to him than being a jock you know, as you put his piloting and military abilities. I kind of wish others would see more of him than that, you know. Like the fact…_ " Pidge remembered how Matt became silent.

" _Oh? What is it?_ "

" _We'd met before, because of dad's work, but my first day at the Garrison, Shiro stepped in and stopped some guys from bullying me. I'm kind of nerdy._ "

" _How cliché._ "

" _No. I'd thought the reason he did it, was because he was this fake hero type, or because he works with dad on the test craft and such, but no. Shiro can't stand seeing anyone get bullied because that's what happened to his little brother._ "

" _He's got a little brother?_ " Pidge remembered sitting to attention, the sing-song voice leaving, before straining. " _What happened to his little brother? Why are you upset?_ "

" _His brother's what they call in Japan a 'hikikomori', or a shut in. He's that way because he got bullied bad, so he never leaves the house anymore, except for when Shiro's gotten him time on the simulators at the Garrison. There were also fights before that, where his little brother would lose his temper. Akira's a great kid, but he doesn't know how to interact with anyone but Shiro._ "

Pidge's eyes fluttered open, her head shaking. Rather weakly, she spoke up to herself, wondering where her train of thought came from. " _Why did I just think Keith was Shiro's brother? He's not a shut in. I mean…_ "

Pidge swallowed. She remembered how Keith got kicked from the Garrison, but also how the teen lived out in the desert on his own. Shiro's clothes were at Keith's place as well, and then there was that look Keith gave her whenever she interacted with Shiro, back when he'd still thought she was a boy. If she wasn't mistaken, Keith seemed jealous, as if he felt like Pidge was taking Shiro away. In truth, Keith felt like an enigma she couldn't place, irritating to her to no end.

The young paladin stood up, staggering and not sure what she heard on the other side of the comms, but could only mentally think that she needed help, wishing the others could come to her rescue, even though she'd rather do it on her own. The lights were out, the power low, so she didn't know if she'd be able to make it out, but somehow found the door opening.

Upon leaving the lion, she toppled over onto the ground, finding her chin resting on the desert sand. How the lion opened, despite seeming powerless, she honestly didn't know. Closing her eyes, Pidge rolled over, her head still woozy from the fall. Upon hearing the sound of someone walking towards her across the sand, she opened up her eyes, her glasses having slid off her face.

"Matt? Is that really you, big brother?" Pidge's eyes closed, her mouth opening in a circle, her mind blanking out. She didn't notice the shade of red hair was off, or the fact the person wore no glasses, among other things.

…

Something drew Gaara out to the desert like a magnet. Suna and the other hidden villages knew nothing about outer space, else Gaara might associate the feeling he felt as the result of the wormholes opening up outside of the planet, raining down shooting stars upon the land., but even if they had such knowledge, the young Kazekage might not realize a worm hole even opened up.

Gaara stood on a rock, his arms crossed as he watched the latest star, realizing the object headed towards him. " _Is it some kind of danger that threatens the village, these things from outer space._ "

" _No._ "

The Kazekage's eyes closed, attempting to figure out what Shukaku was thinking. " _Why is your usual bloodlust missing? Do you know what that thing is?_ "

" _That thing is a part of Voltron. You should help whoever's in that part._ "

" _Why?_ " Gaara wondered why the tailed beast suddenly fell silent but instead used his sand to head towards the place the star fell. He came across a crater, and within this crater lay a strange cat like object. Gaara used his sand cloud to go around the object, not seeing what he needed to do, nor hearing anything from the tailed beast. He finally settled down at the mouth, looking at the unlit eyes, before reaching out to touch the mouth.

A feeling rushed over Gaara, his chakra fluctuating, almost as if the thing begged for him to pour his energy into the creature. The odd feeling floated around him that the green cat-like thing somehow was alive, and needed help. He made to pull his hand away, only to hear Shukaku scream at him not to forsake the creature, sending a wave of confusion through Gaara's mind and body.

Closing his eyes, he felt around, before pouring the chakra into the creature. Nothing seemed to happen, so Gaara turned to walk away, only to stop upon hearing the mouth open. Turning back, the auburn haired shinobi turned to see a small figure stagger out, falling to the ground. The shinobi watched the person roll over, his eyes widening in confusion, a shudder running through his spine at how much energy he managed to use up revitalizing that _thing_.

The young shinobi walked over and watched as a pair of honey brown eyes opened up. "Matt. Is that really you big brother?"

" _Oh, my. The paladin of Voltron thinks you're their sibling. I wonder if that child is male or female How funny._ "

" _Well, that is more your style._ " Gaara staggered, before kneeling down to lift up the small figure, tilting them up so he could put his water flask to their lips, hoping to get some fluids in them, particularly with how hot the noontime sun was in the desert. The person choked, as Gaara took in the strange outfit, but they didn't come to. The young man looked at the lion, wondering what to do next.

" _Hide it. You can't let THEM get any piece of Voltron._ "

Gaara sighed, standing up with the small, before letting his mind cover the structure in sand. He headed over to the rock, staggering slightly due to the amount of chakra spent, and carefully set out a covering of sand, his eyes closing in the heat as he lay the small figure next to him, sending a message to Temari to bring a change of clothes for the stranger, and to say nothing to the council members. He removed the strange helmet, setting it at his side, hoping that the person would be more comfortable.

…

Pidge's eyes opened up. "Matt."

"I'm not your brother."

The green paladin attempted to sit up but found herself hit by a dizzy spell. A groan escaped Pidge's lips, wondering how she'd ever mistook this auburn haired young man for Matt. " _I guess I miss my big brother too much._ "

The stranger dressed in a red trench coat, and gray body armor. For the most part, he looked human, except for his eyes, which seemed somewhat vacant, if not pale, with strange rings around them. Her lips pushed together, watching the young man stare at her. "I wouldn't mind you calling me nii-chan though."

Pidge's eyes closed, thinking carefully of what those words meant. "That means I take it, big brother? Sorry, but I'm not looking for a replacement. I'm going to find my brother."

"Good. I would do the same if something happened to Temari or Kankuro."

Her eyes snapped open. "Are they your older siblings?"

"Yes. I was simply thinking it would be nice to be the older sibling for once, so don't mind what I said."

For some reason, Pidge imagined some weird joke going through the young man's head, much in the same way Keith sometimes came up with a joke in his head only he understood. She shook her head. "So… what are you going to do with me?"

"What is this Voltron that Shukaku speaks of?"

"Um, first, what is your name. Mine's Pidge."

"Gaara."

"Galra? You're named after the enemy?" Pidge felt like choking back laughter.

The young man frowned in confusion. "No. Gaara, not Galra. What is this Galra you speak of."

"Oh. It's kind of hard to explain." Pidge attempted to sit up, only for the young man to hold out his hand, indicating she should sit up.

"I'll let you drink some more water, but I don't think it wise that you stand just yet. My sister Temari is bringing some clothing for you so you can blend in." Gaara unscrewed the cap, before gently lifting her head up to let her drink some water.

Pidge let out a sigh, the heat getting the better of her. "Why are you helping me?"

"Do I need a reason?"

"Well, even I know people don't just help others just because."

"Why not?"

Pidge let out a sigh. The young man's thought process worked way too much like Keith's, making her suspect only Keith or Shiro would be able to understand this individual. "Because it isn't normal."

"I found you, so I am meant to help you."

"Oh, never mind." Pidge opened her eyes, noticing the oriental like scaring on the young man's forehead. "What's that? I mean, what's it supposed to mean?"

"This?" Gaara reached up to touch his forehead. "This is kanji for love."

"So, Japanese. You aren't some kind of weird Japanese hippie are you?"

"I do not know those words, Japanese or hippie. If you are asking what I am, though, I am a shinobi." His word shinobi, for some strange reason, she understood to mean ninja. "I'm also the leader of my village."

"Oh. So kind of like how Shiro comes from some weird samurai family and is heir to his village practically, or so Matt told me. His family makes up an entire village apparently and has ties to other villages. He's supposed to inherit because his grandfather's like, the leader or something, and his father was like, the eldest."

"What hidden village is he from."

Pidge frowned. "Shiro's not from some hidden village. It's on maps, and people are free to come and go. Not like they're hiding things. Well, maybe they are, but you know… I think I'll stop talking now. Aren't I boring you."

"No."

"You look bored, though."

"I always look this way."

"Okay. You're weird, but that's okay, 'cause you're rather nice." Pidge yawned, closing her eyes. "You know, I'm not looking for a replacement for my brother, but that doesn't mean you can't be my big brother." Another yawn escaped her lips, the heat having gotten the better of her, making her realize perhaps some of the dizziness came from the heat pouring into her lion before she came to. "I've got an even bigger family now, what with my crew and all."

"Then you won't mind, to hide where you've come from, pretending to be the illegitimate child of Lord Rasa?"

"Hmm…" Pidge's mind didn't process what Gaara said, blacking out again.


	5. Fading Black

**The Awaited**  
 _ **Fading Black**_

Worry seeped through every bone of his body, in particular, worry for one paladin in particular. Shiro knew Keith all of the red paladin's young life, and even before if one counted in waiting for his younger brother to be born. The black paladin never found quite the right words to explain his younger brother, but knew full well that trouble had a way of finding Keith. Shiro much preferred that idea than the idea of Keith always managing to find trouble, particularly when he saw at times how hard his younger brother tried to avoid trouble.

Somehow, he always knew, if not what Keith was thinking exactly, at least how the young paladin was feeling, even when the two were separated by some distance between them as young children, thus he fought to get Keith back into his life. On the flip side, Keith knew the darker side of Shiro, something the nineteen-year-old rarely if ever showed anyone, but he also knew how this dark side managed to make the sixteen-year-old feel. Never was this dark side directed at his younger brother, and prior to his mission to Kerberos, this side only came out when standing up for Keith, but the younger brother still always reacted negatively.

That dark side, Shiro was sure, got a whole lot darker as a prisoner of the dark feeling wasn't just the feeling of anger at those who didn't give Keith the time of day, or bitterness for separating the two siblings when their parents died. There was an added element, a sense of not being able to do anything, of not being in control. There was so much he didn't want to remember, as in some ways, deep down, he wanted to remain his younger brother's protector, and yet didn't think he could do that anymore.

Somehow, he felt Keith picked up on his own self-doubt, as Keith, despite not being able to read others really well, somehow managed to read Shiro's moods, much in the same way Shiro could read Keith's. Everything boiled over when Zarkon stole the black lion, making the black paladin feel a ton of rage, hopelessness, but also fear to come from the red paladin. He also heard Keith do some stupid things, and yet he couldn't say anything, or do anything.

Particularly since his mind was already messed up, doubting from the very beginning his leadership skills. Hands down all four of the younger paladins would follow him without question, but one was his doting little brother, another a young man who idolized him, that young man's friend, and the younger sister of his best friend. He also felt weak, knowing full well that this feeling came from an accumulation of things. There was this inkling feeling at the back of his head, that the Galra wanted to turn him into one of them.

He felt so weak when Allura and Hunk came to his rescue, his side clawed up by that witch. The haze faded, despite the pain in his side, and the realization hit that Keith was in trouble. Somehow he managed to get there in time, the negative feeling welling in his chest, and yet relief washed over him when he managed to do something he set out to do, to rescue Keith. They were also safe in the castle as they headed through the wormhole, and he thought everything would be fine.

However, the wormhole destabilized, throwing him and Keith out of the hanger doors which remained open.

Somehow he managed to take control somewhat on the descent, only to find himself jarred. One hand reached toward the injury given to him by Haggar, and Shiro also felt a fever racking his body, making him wonder if there was some kind of poison involved. Something, however, told him Keith was upset, likely having one of his panic attacks. A sigh escaped his lips, knowing full well how his younger brother could switch from having complete control of the situation, to random panic attacks. Thankfully, most lasted only a few seconds.

"Keith…"

" _Shiro. Oh god…_ "

Those words didn't bode well, as they meant something happened that Keith didn't know how to deal with.

"Keith…"

"I trashed Red. I'm so sorry."

"You don't have to apologize to me, Keith." Shiro's eyes closed, leaning back into the chair as the fever racked his body. " _You should never have to apologize to me, kiddo. I should be the only apologizing to you, what with leaving you there on Earth by yourself._ "

"No. Not you. Red. I am so sorry Red."

Shiro felt a wave of frustration course through his body. " _While I get the fact you lions are sentient beings Black, I wish he'd also open up to the other paladins. This goes back to his attachment to vehicles over people that he had back on Earth. Still…_ " The nine-teen-year-old brought a hand up to rub the back of his head, his eyelids beginning to droop. "Keith, everything is going to be okay."

" _No, it's not. Red's likely seriously pissed off at me right now._ " Keith's voice, Shiro could hear the strain in it, but also the pause. " _You're not okay Shiro. I can tell._ "

"I'm fine. Take a deep breath." Shiro's eyes closed, wondering how many times he'd lied to his younger brother in the past like that but quickly pushed any such thoughts away.

" _I don't need to! And you're not fine! I'm going for you. I can find you._ "

The black paladin's mind jumped to how Keith somehow knew to show up when he did, but brushed it away, thinking instead of how upset his younger brother was, only for Keith to bring it back. " _I am. I can find you. I know what direction you're in, kind of like how I knew that you would show back up. I can do this._ "

" _You didn't know I would be there. You said that yourself. Unless you mean you didn't know what you were feeling, which means something really strange is going on with you._ " Shiro attempted to push himself up from the seat. "Keith…"

The nineteen-year-old found himself crashing to the floor beside the chair. He wasn't sure if Keith heard, but then a rather random thing occurred. " _Shiro, I love you._ "

" _Oh, great. He's stepping out of his comfort zone again. That can not be a good thing._ "

" _Shiro?_ "

"Doesn't that go without saying, though?" Shiro found himself lying down on the floor, hoping the fever would pass. He thought to hear Keith say those words was some kind of dream, as Keith never said such things out loud, simply indicating the bond they had as brothers through a look, a tug of the sleeve, or any other way. Sometimes it hurt, and yet he knew Keith did his best, but was also afraid of admitting such things, what with everything that happened to them as children – mostly to the younger sibling, though.

" _What…_ "

"You know. You're my kid brother…" Shiro hoped none of the others, particularly Lance wasn't listening, as the blue paladin wouldn't let Keith live it down. "… so it goes without saying that we love each other. We're family."

" _I do matter._ "

"Huh…" The black paladin felt his energy drain out, realizing then that Keith must be worried.

" _It does too! I never, ever said it enough. Then you…_ "

" _Disappeared on the Kerberos mission, leaving a gaping ache in your heart, huh?_ " Shiro spoke softly, hoping to calm Keith down. "Got it. It's okay, 'cause I already knew."

" _Shiro. Don't you 'dare' die on me!_ "

Shiro fell into unconsciousness at that point, not sure what to do at that point anymore. He started coming to upon hearing a conversation on the other end of things. The black paladin thought for a second that he heard Keith admitting to liking Allura, but brushed it aside. " _No way that little kid, whose always been preoccupied with hovercycles, video games, and Anime would ever have a crush on a girl._ "

Lance's voice, however, went on a rant about this, bringing Shiro further back to reality, from where he lay on the ground. Shiro couldn't say anything, but it quickly became apparent that his younger brother was in trouble, as someone managed to physically harm him. Shiro pushed himself up, his entire body shaking because of the fever. The fact the young man on the other side wanted to use Keith as a toy, made him push harder.

Somehow, he managed to stand, but not before he heard Lance begin to freak out, calling out for Pidge and Hunk, but not the black paladin. Shiro at first wondered why, but the fact Keith was in trouble pushed these thoughts aside. He heard Lance yell at Keith, then a distant crying. The black paladin opened his mouth to say something but found his mouth way to dry. A hand reached up to clutch his mouth before he began to stumble out of the craft.

As he stumbled out of the lion's mouth, he found that the outside environment was far from ideal. Black managed to land in a manner that her mouth was above an edge of the cliff, and Shiro couldn't control his fall. He landed ten feet below, on a rather narrow cliff, a groan escaping his lips. He'd managed to crack some ribs, but also smash his good hand up a bit. Somehow he managed to stagger up, catching site of the very windy canyon. The place wasn't very deep, but he could see the river running down below.

Shiro's eyes snapped shut, leaning against the wall, as he moved along the narrow path. He knew that he wasn't heading in the direction of Keith, but he had little choice in that matter due to thinking the direction was out across the canon. His jet pack was still broken, but he also didn't have the physical strength. The wind chilled him to the bone, particularly at his side which was exposed to the elements. A stone ricocheted into the canyon below, what he estimated to be around fifty feet.

He continued, hoping to find an alien village to help him out, the adrenaline he'd felt to get him out not serving the purpose of getting him where he needed to go. After about a hundred feet, Shiro slid down, his eyes closing, not sure if he'd be able to get back up. His hand throbbed, but so did his side and head. He attempted to push himself up, before finding himself slipping, his robotic hand reaching out to grab the ledge, only for it to break away.

Instinct kicked in as he hit the water below, kicking out to the surface, before finding himself slammed into a rock, and watched up onto another rock, where his consciousness yet again began to fade. How far away from his lion he got, Shiro did not know, but he heard a female voice from above him. He felt someone pull him up, and out of the canon, his consciousness at a half haze, before they set him down on the ground.

Shiro felt his chin tilted up, and out of the corner of his eye, he saw a small female who looked to be of Japanese decent. "His clothing is weird. Where exactly did he come from? Some kind of spy from one of the other villages?"

"I don't know, but the Tsuchikage will want to hear of this."

The black paladin felt lifted up, and he looked over at the female, who's fingered gripped his mouth tightly. Her clothing seemed rather archaic for the modern times, making Shiro wonder if he'd been thrown back in time. The way she held his face was painful, and her eyes were set on looking him in the eye. "So? Who are you?"

Shiro opened his mouth, only to find himself unable to speak, his throat dry from the fever which wracked his body. The fact he got doused in cold water would likely only make things worse. It was then that his consciousness finally gave out, and everything went completely black.


	6. Perceived Perceptions

**The Awaited**  
 _ **Perceived Perceptions**_

Two dark eyes watched the sky, catching sight of the second shooting star of the day falling from above. Sasuke's eyes narrowed, watching the fiery blaze crash into a spot nearby Orochimaru's hideout. His interest in the event was next to nothing, and yet the young man also knew the person he currently worked under would be interested to find out what fell from the heavens. As if on cue, the young man sensed Kabuto approaching from behind. "You shouldn't bother me during my training."

"It seems like something else interrupted your training." Without the man saying anything else, Sasuke knew what the man wanted.

"I'll go and check out the site."

"You should also take some men with you. You might need them to carry whatever it is back."

This Sasuke could not argue with, so he gathered a few of the current henchmen Orochimaru kept under him. While they traveled, another flash fell through the sky behind them, making the men jump slightly. His group of five soon sped through the forest, leaping from tree branch to tree branch before landing near the place where the item from the sky crashed. A flash of red caught his attention before he moved to just the right position to see a figure dressed in white and red walking towards the third falling star. The person seemed occupied, making him a walking target in the land of shinobi.

"Boss?"

"Hold." Sasuke watched the person move, noting the fact they did indeed move in a manner which indicated some kind of skill, and yet the fact they paid no attention seemed off. "I'll handle this."

The young shinobi moved through the trees, not making a sound. Apparently, the young man was talking to someone, and yet the young member of the Uchiha clan couldn't see any of the equipment the shinobi normally used. "Shut up" was soon followed by "You didn't hear Shiro and my conversation?" Sasuke moved closer, hearing more of the conversation, his mind thinking how naïve this person seemed. "Quiznack! I can't let my personal feelings for her get in the way of doing my job as a paladin. That…"

" _If I weren't sneaking up on this twat, I'd be laughing at him._ " The young man brought his blade out, moving it forward.

"Forget I said…" The blade cut into the young man's body, cutting through the strange armor the young man wore. Sasuke watched the person reach up to touch the injury, pulling his hand away to view the blood, just as the young man stepped forward wrapping his arm around the person's throat, getting close enough to sense the other's anxiety grow. Another blade touched the young man's throat.

He moved forward, whispering where the young man's ear would be, letting his hot breath brush against the person's cheek. "What is your name?"

"Keith…"

" _He referred to another person as Shiro, so why did he call himself that._ " Sasuke's eyes narrowed. "That is a very odd name, isn't it?" Eventually, he said, What's your full name?"

"My name is Keith Kogane. Since I told you mine, care to tell me yours."

" _For someone whose naïve, he certainly has spunk like Naruto. Idiot._ " Sasuke pressed the knife in, letting it bite but not cut yet. A conversation started between the two where he choose to give his name out, threatening to keep the young man as a pet. To his amusement, the person's naivety expanded to that. " _I do have a reputation to keep, but I've also got to let him know who he's dealing with._ " The fact there was a communication device was soon confirmed as well, and Sasuke enjoyed playing with the others mind regarding the drug on the blade which would paralyze him. It had been a whim that he choose to put the drug on, an idea from Kabuto.

He removed the armor, tossing it aside before lifting the person up over his shoulder. A few of his men came forward. "Boss. You leaving that thing that was with him?"

"Somehow he's communicating with others. The best solution is to remove that armor of his, at it likely contains some kind of communication device." Sasuke felt the blood from the place he stabbed the young man.

"But is that the only thing out there?"

"Are you the ones giving the orders, or am I?" Sasuke watched the man shrink back. "Go ahead and look around to see if you can't find something, and keep those outside of our group away if you do. Take them alive if you can. Don't, however, approach whatever you find, unless it is a human like this one. One of you should report back to me as well."

"Why not?"

"I don't know. It might eat you." Sasuke heard the man laugh, before giving the other shinobi with him a look indicating he could and would kill them if the stepped further out of line. "That wasn't a joke."

The young shinobi watched as his men took off under his orders. Soon, he arrived back at the cave system, hauling the person he found to one of the side rooms which held only a few supplies. Kabuto was nowhere to be seen, likely having retreated back into his lab or to speak to Orochimaru. He let the person drop to the ground in a painful manner, hearing a groan of pain as they hit. The young shinobi placed his foot lightly on the injury, allowing him to hear a sound of pain which was a bit back slightly by his prisoner.

Reaching down, Sasuke moved the person so they were now looking at him. The person in question was a young man around his age, with dark hair and eyes similar to his own. Keith Kagone, as the teen claimed as his name, glared up at him, his lips pushed together as the blood continued to flow. The loss of blood made the teen's already pale skin even paler. Sasuke looked him in the eye, which in turn made the other turn away. "You were strangely quiet on the way here. Do you really think I'll take that as an affirmation that you will not talk?"

"I told you," the young man's voice strained, "that I would not give into torture."

"Oh, I heard," Sasuke smirked at the other teen, grabbing his hair and forcing the other teen to look him in the eye, something which obviously made the other uncomfortable. The stranger likely knew nothing about the Sharingan, so the reason likely resulted from another reason. He leaned in close. "I actually have other means of getting information from people, so tell me your real name."

"That _is_ my real name."

"You're lying." The young shinobi watched the teen flinch. " _Yes, he's most certainly lying about his name. This will make good practice._ " Tightening his grip, he spoke again. "You will be telling me your real name."

 **~V~**

Keith knew Sasuke actually meant business in regards to finding out things the red paladin would rather leave secret. The words the other teen said to his men indicated the plan to get information out of him. One of the unfortunate side effects of being paralyzed was the fact he could hear what others said, but speak. Torture, though, was something was mentally prepared for, something _they_ prepared him for.

The fact the other teen didn't take his word in regards to Keith Kogane being his real name, though…

That was honestly irritating, as that was who Keith was, his very being, something he'd been forever.

"You're lying." Sasuke's grip on the top of his head tightened, forcing Keith to look him in the eye. "You will be telling me your real name."

The red paladin pushed his teeth together, one of the few responses he could make towards the young man in front of him, wondering how Sasuke planned on getting information out of him. He wouldn't bend at torture but then felt himself dragged into his subconscious. He found himself to look around, confused as to what was going on. "What the quiznack."

"My Sharingan allows me to enter the subconscious of the tailed beasts, but in that regard it also allows me to enter the subconscious of others as well. Plus, I have other skills, skills that allow me to create illusions and manipulate the mind."

Keith spun around, going into a defensive position. "What are you doing?"

He could move in this place, but Sasuke was in control. "I'm going to get you to tell me what I want to know. In case you haven't figured out, I'm the one in control here."

"That still doesn't explain what you're doing."

"It doesn't? You're not very bright." Sasuke disappeared, leaving the red paladin's mind to start to spin out of control, the world around him tumbling in, his confusion growing as he found himself at the Shirogane estate, his breath drawing short at the funeral. Mutterings about him not being welcome flittered into his ears, making him want to run, yet he found himself stuck in that spot as he turned, unable to escape.

One of Keith's hands went up, his throat tightening up. Sasuke's voice appeared next to his ear. "Do you want out of this place, or not?"

Keith's eyes closed, not wanting to give in to the pain or confusion. He didn't even understand what Sasuke was looking for. "I told you, Keith Kogane is my real name."

Around him killed various people. "Takashi Shirogane. I can't believe he's dead."

Someone looked right at him, making a shudder run down his spine. "It's that boy's fault. He's…"

"Shush. He's not a part of the family."

"Yes, but he shouldn't _be_ here."

"He shouldn't be here."

His eyes snapped shut, only to open up, feeling so small. A familiar figure was near him reaching down, a smile on the person's face as they looked down at him, their hand outstretched. He shook his head, finding himself back at the funeral, the scene repeating, this time the people around him, their mouth moving. His eyes snapped shut, his jaw tightening, wishing for the words to not spring from the person's mouth.

He opened up his eyes, only to see himself at the funeral again. "Takashi Shirogane. I can't believe he's dead."

A whisper from Sasuke came near his ear after the cycle repeated a few times. "If you want the loop to end, then just tell me what I want to know."

"I told you. My name's…" Keith's eyes blinked. "Kogane Keith. I am Keith. I am…"

"So this isn't just a lie you're telling me, but yourself?"

The red paladin took a deep breath, feeling his emotions wash over him, not understanding what was wanted of him. He was growing tired of the endless repetition of the cycle, something he wasn't prepared at all for. He closed his eyes, opening up, and feeling small. A familiar figure was near him, reaching down, the face not clear like he wanted, and yet he knew they wanted to say something to him, something he kept trying to block away.

He finally decided to listen, his mind in a mental haze, and his mouth moved.

 **~V~**

Sasuke didn't need to wait long, for time for him was different than it was the victim of his genjutsu and sharingan. The teen was stubborn, but slowly his facial features slowly began to break. Keith, as the young man called himself, sat there, his eyes glazed over, unaware of what was happening outside of his mind. "So, what is your name?"

"Kogane Keith…" He muttered.

"No, it isn't." The young man narrowed his eyes. "This is an actually more mental strain on you than me."

Not that he would admit to the actions turning him blind over time, though he was still at the stage that genjutsu played a major part. Keith's head tilted down. "Akira… Akira Shirogane…"


End file.
